I See the Moon
by Shahula
Summary: One fateful night, an innocent mistake is made. Bella and Edward are strangers until the truth is revealed and their worlds collide. How strong is the bond between parent and child, when the one you raised isn't your own? AH, Rated M, ExB
1. Prologue

_Story Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make a profit from this work. Fanfiction is free to both you and me, but please don't steal my words anyway, okay?_

**Prologue**

***(***

The night was more turbulent than most with howling winds and ominous crashes of thunder, lightning flashing hotly in the dark sky. Rain pelted the sides of the old building, windows drenched in waterfalls of liquid as the storm raged outside.

In the small Community Hospital of Forks, little attention was paid to the force of nature demanding attention outside as this particular type of weather, while not common, was still more common to the city's residents than most. Instead, the hospital staff hustled and rushed about from room to room in a flurry of unforeseen activity.

The normally sleepy town had very few incidents which led people to need the services of the nurses and physicians at the hospital, but tonight was in total opposition to the normal humdrum life usually enjoyed by the staff.

It was as if everyone decided to injure themselves or come down with a severe illness and seek medical attention. And it was enough to make the poor doctors' heads spin with the flurry of activity.

Nurses and doctors were stretched thin in every direction as more and more people trickled into the emergency doors in need of immediate attention. Bella Swan, nine months pregnant and already in labor, was one of those people.

Dr. Gerandy, her doctor for as long as she had been alive, met her at the ER doors as she arrived in the red, beat-up Volkswagen Rabbit, and was guided out of the bucket seats by her over-eager boyfriend, Jake Black.

"She's already having contractions, Doc!" Jake shouted at the older man, half-excited and half-scared to death. He shifted Bella into the waiting wheelchair, tucking her feet up onto the rests and patting her head in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'm in labor, not a dog. Don't pet me," Bella barked, belying her claim.

Bella wasn't normally an angry person, but the intervals of pinching, piercing, squeezing, clenching pain that attacked her abdomen every five minutes was pushing her limits for niceties and decorum. Bella was doing her best to keep it all to herself as well, not wanting to trouble anyone else with her pain.

Even if Jake was entirely responsible for her being in this mess to begin with, she silently fumed.

"Sorry, Bells," Jake apologized, brushing a kiss across Bella's cheek before handing her over to the doctor as he went to park his car.

"Well, my dear, you've picked a fine night to have this baby," Dr. Gerandy joked, as he pushed Bella into the hospital and towards the labor and delivery wing.

As Bella settled into her room, she changed into a gown before having her legs propped up in the stirrups to determine how far along in active labor she was, while another frazzled man with a much more vocal woman was careening into the hospital's parking lot.

"Jesus, Edward, can you slow the fuck down?!" Tanya cried, as she clutched at her large belly, feeling the seat belt push against her sharply, increasing the pain. "I don't want to die before I get this thing out of me!" she yelled, as the shiny black sports car came to a stop in front of the ER doors.

"Edward, I don't want to have this baby in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere," Tanya whined, as she looked towards the hospital, old and frightening as the lightning flashed around it.

"I'm sorry, Tan, but I don't think you're going to make it back to Seattle," Edward explained, as he unsnapped his own seat belt before leaping from the car and running to help his very pregnant fiancée out of her own. Edward ignored her protests of annoyance and displeasure of where they had stopped as he carefully walked with her through the emergency entrance to a busy waiting room, and attempted to get someone's attention.

"Excuse me," Edward tried to flag down a nurse, failing for the fifth time to be heard. Tanya's frustration with Edward's politeness increased with each contraction she had until she finally couldn't handle it anymore.

"Someone needs to find me a fucking doctor or I'm about to pop this kid out right here on the floor!" Tanya shouted, catching the attention of a petite nurse with red hair who was hurrying down the packed halls. One look at the screaming woman and the nurse changed her course, figuring Walter Brown could wait a few more minutes for his stitches since the bleeding had stopped.

"Are you in labor ma'am?" the nurse asked, as she approached the couple.

"What does it fucking look like?" Tanya asked in exasperation, her hand clutching her stomach tightly.

The woman was nonplussed, her years as a nurse building up a thick skin to the over-dramatics patients often displayed. "All right, who is your doctor? Do you know if he's here tonight?"

"I doubt it since he lives in Seattle with the rest of civilization!" Tanya exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, we aren't from this area," Edward jumped into the conversation. "We were coming back from visiting my fiancée's family when she started complaining of stomach cramps. Once I realized what they were, I pulled off the interstate at the first town with a hospital."

The nurse smiled at the helpful man, glad at least someone was being rational in the moment. "It's not a problem Mister.…"

"Edward. Edward Cullen, and this is Tanya Richards."

"Nice to meet you Edward, I'm Nurse Morris. You did the right thing by stopping from the looks of it," Nurse Morris smiled at Edward and looked over to Tanya who was rolling her eyes at the exchange.

"Yes, now we're all good friends. Meanwhile, I need pain pills, _stat_. Can you find someone to help with that?" Tanya demanded.

"I'll be happy to find Dr. Gerandy for you," Nurse Morris said in a falsely sweet voice. "He's the OB on call and he'll be the one to deliver your baby tonight."

"Whatever, I just want the pain to stop."

Nurse Morris found a wheelchair and offered it to Tanya before she directed Edward to the nurses' station to fill out some forms, telling him she would send someone to retrieve him once his fiancée was situated.

***(***

The storm raged on as the two women struggled to bring new life into the world, the cries of one much louder than the other as they gritted against the pain. Dr. Gerandy was forced to go between the two women's rooms frequently as they both seemed to be progressing in their deliveries at an accelerated rate. He was sweating and huffing almost as much as the mothers.

It was only a few short hours later when Dr. Gerandy held up a wriggling mess to a smiling, sweaty, exhausted yet proud Bella and declared her baby a healthy boy.

"It's a boy?" Bella whispered in awe, her eyes fighting to stay open as she rested against damp pillows. "Can I hold him?"

"As soon as we get him cleaned up, dear," Dr. Gerandy told her with a smile as he cut the umbilical cord.

Bella caught a fleeting look as they moved him over to another table. He was reddish pink and a little gooey but seemed to have some dark hair on his little head. Bella smiled softly to herself, completely in love with her son already.

"Jake will be happy," Bella said softly, exhaustion thickly coating her voice. "He should have been here."

Dr. Gerandy laughed, unsurprised that her boyfriend had excused himself early on. He didn't seem the type to handle blood very well. "Yes, well, he'll see what he missed soon enough."

"Wwh-hh- noott-cryinn-" Bella slurred but quickly faded out, her eyes rolling closed into unconsciousness as the machines around the room began to ring and blare their warnings. Dr. Gerandy looked down, and quickly noted Bella was bleeding heavily, an unforeseen complication to her otherwise normal delivery. He jumped into action to fix the problem, handing the little bundle of writhing pink-goo to a nurse to take over.

It didn't take long to stop the bleeding and get everything under control, though Bella didn't rouse from her rest. Dr. Gerandy wasn't worried about it too much, knowing how hard Bella worked to bring her son into the world and he decided to let her be, though he would keep an eye on her throughout the night. He walked over to the waiting area to deliver the good news to Bella's family before catching a break for himself. No sooner had he finished with the Swan clan than Dr. Gerandy was being called into the room of the other pregnant woman in his care, Tanya Richards.

"Oh my God, it hurts! I need more pain meds," Tanya screamed, as Dr. Gerandy checked to see how close she was to being fully dilated.

"Sorry, dear, but it looks like you're ready to push," Dr. Gerandy said with a smile. Not thirty minutes later, a shrill cry could be heard in the room as Edward stood beside Tanya, holding her hand as their own baby was born.

"Congratulations," Dr. Gerandy said to the couple, "You have a son."

"A son?" Edward questioned in awe, completely mesmerized by the sort of slimy, yet somehow still beautiful, baby being cleaned up by the nurses in the room. "I have a son?"

"Looks like it, Dad," Dr. Gerandy beamed at Edward. He could tell already that this man was in love with his child, and would be a wonderful father. "And he's got some lungs on him, too."

The comment couldn't have been truer; the baby was loud, screaming shrilly as soon as he took his first breath with no signs of stopping. Dr. Gerandy chalked that up to his mother, as his limited experience with the parents showed him the trait belonged to her.

"Did you see him, Tanya?" Edward turned from his son to speak with his fiancée. "Do you want to hold him?"

"No. He's gross right now," Tanya said. "I'll wait till they have him cleaned up."

Edward didn't even register the slight against his child from his mother, he was too in awe of the little being he helped to create.

Minutes old and already wrapped around his baby's fingers, Edward mused contentedly to himself as he watched the nurses take his son out of the room.

"Hey, where are they taking him?" Edward asked with trepidation. He was nervous about losing track of his son, so little and vulnerable. Edward wanted to hold him close, and finally get a good look at the baby he'd watched grow in Tanya's womb.

"Don't worry, son, they'll be back soon. The balance for his weight and measurements is acting up so they're taking him down to the nursery to use the one there. You can go see him in few minutes." Dr. Gerandy patted Edward on the shoulder in reassurance.

Tanya moaned lowly from the bed, breaking Edward's thoughts from his son momentarily. "Is everything okay?" he asked with concern.

Dr. Gerandy examined Tanya quickly before answering. "She's fine, just feeling a few after effects from the delivery. I need to finish up a few things with her, so why don't you go see your son?" Dr. Gerandy suggested.

"Is that okay, Tan?" Edward wondered. Tanya sighed heavily but nodded, too tired and in pain to argue over anything with him. "You did beautifully," he whispered to her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Thank you."

***(***

The nursery was completely empty except for the two precious boys born on the wet, fall night. It was always such a miracle and joy for Nurse Shelly Cope to work with the little bundles and help ease their transition into the light of day.

She had both boys nestled close to her in their individual cribs as she worked on their paperwork, attempting to get everything in order before they had to be returned to their parents. It was an easy enough job, watching the newborns and making sure they were wrapped tightly in their blankets and caps, but it did involve a bit of paperwork for her.

Shelly worked steadily on their information sheets side by side, humming a happy little tune as she went until the lights went out unexpectedly. Thunder crashed loudly, the building seeming to tremble with its force as blackness enveloped the nursery. The abrupt change startled Shelly as well as the babies, making her jump and jumble her paper work as both boys began to wail.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh," Shelly cooed after she gathered her bearings and moved over to the cribs, placing a hand on each little tummy to offer them comfort. "It's alright, my angels. It's just the storm," she whispered. "The lights will be back on in just a minute," she promised.

Shelly was right. Although the power had been lost due to the violent storm, the backup generators kicked on within minutes, and light came flooding back into the room. "See? I told you, nothing to worry about."

The boys didn't seem to care and continued to fuss and cry. Shelly did her best to calm the babies, which seemed to work after a few minutes. Once they were settled again, she turned back to her counter work and exhaled deeply at the sight. Papers and pens scattered all over the floor in a wild pile.

"Oh dear, look at this mess," she tutted. "Everything in such a jumble," Shelly muttered, as she picked up the papers to straighten things up.

Shelly paused after a moment, confused. She couldn't remember which baby weighed what at the moment. She had each sheet set out on the table in accordance with their placement in the room, Baby Boy Swan on the right and Baby Boy Cullen on the left, she thought.

But when she jumped from the power outage, the papers had fallen on the floor and now were a tangled mess.

Shelly examined the papers, looking closely at each to determine which baby belonged to which paper. She thought she remembered Baby Boy Swan weighed in at 6 lbs. and 4 oz. but maybe he was the 7 lb. 3 oz. baby. That information sheet was on the left so… maybe Baby Cullen was in the right crib and Baby Swan on the left…

"Excuse me?" a voice broke into Shelly's concentration and she spun toward the door.

"Yes?"

"I'm Edward Cullen, I just came to check on my son," the handsome man said, as he stepped into the room.

Shelly smiled at Edward and waved him in. "Of course, Mr. Cullen. He is right here," she gestured to the little boy on the right. "Doing fine, now that the lights are back on," she laughed. "He seemed quite nervous for a minute there."

"Yeah, I was on my way here when it happened. It was rather jarring," Edward said distractedly as he peered into the glass crib holding his little boy. A slight frown creased his brow for a moment. "He already looks so different..."

"Well, he is cleaned up and presentable now," Shelly joked. "It's amazing what a good scrub can do for them, isn't it?"

"Mhmm," Edward mumbled, as he examined his son. He already seemed to have more hair, darker than what he thought it was back in the delivery room as it peeked out from beneath his little blue-and-white striped cap. His eyes were closed tight but his lips pursed, almost as if he was going to cry but made no sound. He was such a calm baby, so unlike the shouting wails he came into the world displaying.

Or unlike the little boy next to him, who continued to squirm and fuss, softly crying out every few minutes.

Nurse Cope picked up the fussy boy and cuddled him to her chest before turning back to Edward.

"Another lucky boy born tonight," she explained as she rocked the baby in her arms. Edward gazed at his own son, desperately wanting to pick him up as well.

"Would you like to hold your son?"

"Yes, please."

Shelly moved the Swan baby back into his crib before reaching into the other to retrieve Edward's son. She eased the blanket-swaddled baby gently into his father's arm and stepped back, watching with delight as father and son bonded right before her aged eyes.

"Hi, baby," Edward whispered reverently, his eyes pricking a touch with tears. "I'm your Daddy, little one. And I already love you so much," he whispered, leaning down to kiss the little boy on the cheek. Edward smiled when his son turned into the warmth of his lips, warmth rushing his heart at the small gesture.

While Edward marveled at the wonder of his child, Shelly discreetly slipped the paper work for Baby Swan into the card placard in front of his crib so she wouldn't get confused again.

As Edward stood and rocked his son gently in his arms, another nurse came in to retrieve the Swan baby.

"Nurse Cope, Bella is awake now. She's asking for her little man," the nurse said kindly.

"Of course Jena, I'll bring him right down," Shelly smiled, as the nurse left to go back to her busy patient rotation.

"Well, it looks like this little guy is going to see his momma," Shelly said, catching Edward's attention as she motioned to the Swan baby.

"Do I have to leave?" Edward asked, not wanting to be separated from his son, especially if he was going to be alone. Shelly chuckled at the mildly distressed man. He was so lovely, she thought.

"No, sweetheart. Why don't you take him back to your wife's room and I'll come collect him later," she offered.

Edward nodded and smiled, grateful to have more time with his son. He wasn't ready to let him go yet.

In fact, he didn't think he would ever be able to.

* * *

**a/n: Hello there!**

**This is a little something I've had niggling at the back of my mind for quite some time now. I finally put 'pen to paper' and wrote out a few chapters. I have waffled on starting a new story but in the end, decided what the heck, so here we are.**

**That said, this story is not my priority at the moment. I fully intended to spend most of my limited writing time dedicated to writing AtPM, so that means this story will have no update schedule for the foreseeable future. Chapters will post when/ if they are ready, I just don't know how long between each that will be. ****This story is being beta'd by the amazing ****mauigirl60, so many thanks for helping me out doll!**

**Be advised, review replies will be spotty, though I will attempt to reply to everyone as best I can (which isn't all that great, tbh). I promise I will read and cherish each one you leave, however. :) **

**Therefore, read at your leisure, as I will be writing at mine. If you want to wait until I can make more frequent updates or this story completes to read, I get it and no hard feelings.**

**Thanks for checking this out and I hope to hear from you!**


	2. Blue Swans

**Chapter 1- Blue Swans**

***(***

Bella shifted on her feet and exhaled a low sigh, wiping the hair drooping in her face with the back of her hand. She pushed her hands back into the soapy water and pulled out the final plate, giving it another scrub with the brush before rinsing and placing it on the rack to dry.

She released the water from the sink and then turned to head into her living room, dishes from lunch now done and on to the next mess left for her to tidy. Not that her home was a mess, she actually kept a clean home by most accounts. There were those occasions when the laundry was piled up or the dishes stacked way too high, but Bella always got to it, when she could find the time; even if it was during the middle of the night, which had happened more than once.

Bella had learned to use her time and energy efficiently, as every mother must. She learned early on when her darling baby slept, she should too. As her son grew and needed less continuous supervision, Bella used those opportunities to get the household chores done, whenpossible. Which is what she was doing now, picking up discarded Spiderman figures and toy trains, and placing them in the bins where they belonged, while her son Noah took his afternoon nap.

Bella couldn't believe Noah was already three years old, he was growing up so fast. It seemed liked she had brought her baby home just last week and yet here he was, three going on thirty. Bella shook her head in dismay and after giving the living room another look, headed down the hall to check on the sleeping boy.

Noah was sprawled across his bed, little legs twisted in the dinosaur sheets as his head fell off the edge of the bed, his puckered lips open and emitting a soft snore. Bella laughed to herself before stepping gently into the room and straightening him up, careful not to wake him. He had been quite busy today, rummaging through all her pots and pans as he pretended to be a world class chef before lunch. Before then, he had been a helicopter pilot, carrying his superhero friends to distant locations so they could save the day. At one point, Noah had enlisted Bella's help to be the damsel in distress so Spiderman could save her from the evil T-Rex.

Playing with Noah was Bella's favorite way to spend her time, so she never complained when it forced her to do grown-up responsibilities such as paying bills and mopping floors after he had gone to sleep. She would much rather spend her time with her little boy than being grown-up, especially since it was summer.

Bella placed a kiss on Noah's forehead before leaving him to sleep just a few more minutes. She thought if she hurried, she might get to read a few chapters in her new book. It was a rare treat for her to have the opportunity to do so, but she capitalized on it when she could.

She went down the hall to her room and grabbed the book from her nightstand before heading back to her living room and sitting on the couch, cracking open the novel and jumping into the world of imagination.

Bella felt a small tug at her toes and smiled as she lifted her mind from the vivid world created by the words on her book's pages. She didn't look down but knew exactly what had touched her. She waited him out, pretending to read, knowing he would do it again.

Sure enough, another tug on her feet occurred moments later. Bella wiggled her toes and continued to hide behind her book, hoping it covered the smile she sported. Another tug followed by more wiggling toes.

"I think there must be a feather on my toes," Bella said with feigned distraction, fluttering her hand by her feet to add to her act. "It sure does tickle," she said. The little giggle that followed her statement made her smile even harder to contain.

Another pull on her pinky toe and Bella gave up her feigned ignorance, looking down on the wide, grinning face of Noah and dropping her book.

"Why it was you! You little tickle monster!" Bella jokingly scolded as she picked Noah up and threw him on the couch before attacking him with her own tickling hands. "Let's see if you like it, mister!" she playfully shouted.

Noah rolled back and forth, head thrown back in hysterical laughter as he tried to evade Bella's wicked fingers. "Ss-sss-ttoo—opp!" he cried, between fits of giggles.

"Never!" Bella cried, laughing at his pleas. "Not 'til you ask nicely."

"Pp-pl-please!"

Bella dropped her hands to Noah's sides and leaned in, pressing kisses to his rosy cheeks. "Now who's laughing, tickle monster?"

"Momma is!" Noah shouted and Bella smiled down at him, nodding her head.

"I sure am," Bella confirmed, as she sat back and allowed Noah to right himself on the couch. "How was your nap?" she asked.

Noah shrugged. "I dweamed I was a bug and gots to eat cake for bweakfass," he told her, a hopeful look in his eye.

"Hmm, that was a dream then. We sure don't eat cake for breakfast around here," Bella replied, watching as Noah's face fell a little in disappointment.

"So what do you think about going fishing with Grandpa in a bit?" Bella asked a short while later, as the two snuggled together watching TV.

"'Kay," Noah mumbled, distracted by his favorite yellow sponge cartoon singing loudly on the TV.

"Is anybody else comin' wif us?" Noah asked shyly, after a few minutes.

Bella winced, knowing exactly who he meant. "I don't know baby," Bella softly explained. She hated lying to Noah but what other choice did she have?

"I'm sure you and Grandpa will have fun no matter what though," she added. "And I bet, if you're really lucky, Grandma will have a piece of cake for you when you guys get back."

"Chocolate?"

"Mmhmm," Bella agreed and made a mental note to call her mother Renee later to request she bake one. She smiled at Noah as he began discussing how much cake he thought he should get to eat, happy he had moved on from his previous train of thought.

She knew distracting Noah with sweets wasn't the best parenting, but she really didn't have the energy to get into a deeper discussion right now. She kept putting it off in the hopes it would all work out but she knew better. One day soon, Noah was going to ask her point blank and she wouldn't be able to side-step it then.

Not for all the chocolate cake in the world.

*(*

"Hey there, sport!" Charlie greeted his grandson as soon as the door was thrown open. "You excited to catch some fish today?" Charlie leaned down and scooped the smiling boy into his arms.

Noah nodded his head vigorously as he wrapped his arms around his grandfather in a hug. "I gets my own pole, wight Grandpa?"

"You sure do, bud," Charlie answered with a smile.

"Just don't let him bait the hook by himself," Bella warned, as she watched her two favorite guys interact from her spot inside the doorway. "Or even get into the worms. I don't want to find them in his pockets."

"I'd never," Charlie said solemnly, before giving Noah a sly wink. Noah giggled, his grandpa always let him play with the worms when they went fishing.

"Uh huh," Bella narrowed her eyes at the two but let it go. She trusted her father implicitly to care for her son, knowing nothing would happen to him as long as Charlie was there. "You ready to go, monster?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, why don't you go get your river boots and hat? Then you and Grandpa can get going."

"'Kay," Noah said, leaping from Charlie's side before dashing down the hall to his room. Bella laughed at his excitement, knowing it wouldn't be more than two hours at the river before Noah was begging to do something else.

"Hey Dad," Bella greeted her father with her own hug and a kiss on his cheek, now that she could.

"Hi kiddo," Charlie smiled at her. "How's it going?"

"Good, good. Just getting ready for the new school year," Bella explained. "My classroom looks pretty good and I've almost got all my first six weeks lesson plans worked out. But I don't know if I would be able to finish if you weren't taking Noah out. He's been a real pill lately," Bella grouched.

Charlie chuckled, he knew Bella wouldn't trade her days with Noah for anything. She worked hard as a third grade teacher to provide for all Noah's needs and never complained, though she had every right to. He was proud his daughter was such a fine mother and was giving Noah the best life she could under the circumstances.

"Happy to do it," Charlie told her.

Bella shuffled on her feet for a few moments, trying to find the best way to word her next question. "Have you talked to the Blacks lately?"

"Can't say that I have," Charlie said, noting the disappointed look on Bella's face. "Something I need to be concerned about?"

"No, not really." Bella shrugged. "Noah's just been hinting about missing him is all. I didn't know if Billy might have mentioned something," she added.

Charlie sighed. What he wouldn't do to be able to knock some sense into that boy if Bella would let him.

"Well, if I hear from either of 'em, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Dad," Bella said softly.

"I'm weady!" Noah yelled as he bounced back into the foyer. "Let's go, Grandpa! Fish won't waits fowevah."

"Where have I heard that from before?" Bella teased.

Charlie laughed but shook his head. "No idea, but sounds pretty smart to me."

Charlie picked up the backpack sitting by the door Bella had packed with a few snacks and toys for Noah before stepping outside, Noah close on his heels. "Bye, Bells. We'll be back after dinner," Charlie called out.

"Okay, thanks Dad." Bella smiled at the duo as they walked to the car. She loved seeing her son so excited to spend time with a man. He so rarely got to do it.

Suddenly Noah pulled his hand from Charlie and rushed back up the porch to his mother. He wrapped his arms around her legs and gave his best squeeze. "Love you, Momma."

"Love you too, baby," Bella whispered as she leaned down to place a kiss on his cheek.

*(*

Bella reached into the tub and tested the water with her hand. Noah was particular about his water temperature. It had to be neither too hot nor too cold; he liked it right in the middle. It was a fine skill Bella had learned the art of after three years, but no one else who attempted the feat could get it right.

Many babysitters had quit after Noah would pitch an epic bath time tantrum when they hadn't gotten it right. Now Bella simply told them to give him a wet wipe to clean off any major messes and she would bathe him when she'd get home.

"All right, monster, it's bath time," Bella called out. She dumped a capful of bubble bath in the water as Noah came trudging into the room.

"Is da water okay?" Noah questioned, with a pensive look into the tub that was now swimming in bubbles.

Bella nodded affirmatively as she stood to help Noah remove his shirt and shorts before tossing them in the hamper. Once he was free of clothes, Noah hopped in, sending a huge splash of water all over the floor and Bella's jeans.

"You're supposed to keep the water in the tub, Noah," Bella groaned. "You're the one who needs the bath, not Mommy."

Noah didn't reply, too busy laughing at his mess and the bubbles to care. He grabbed for his bucket of toys they kept in the corner and began crashing the action figures together as Bella took a washcloth and began to scrub his body.

"So tell me about fishing with Grandpa," Bella said, as she lathered up her son. She listened and asked questions periodically as Noah chattered away happily, telling her all about his fishing adventure and then about dinner with his grandparents.

"And Momma, guess what?" Noah asked, turning to Bella with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Grandma even had cake liked you'd said," Noah told her excitedly.

"She did?" Bella asked, pretending this was all news to her while congratulating herself for remembering to call her mother in between lesson plans earlier that evening.

"Uh-huh," Noah said before resuming his playing. "It was weally good."

"So you had fun today?" Bella asked. She noticed how pink Noah's little cheeks and nose were, clearly Charlie hadn't reapplied his sun block.

"Yeah, it was da best!" Noah said happily.

"I'm glad baby," Bella said, as she poured a cup of water over Noah's head to rinse the soap from his hair. She ran her fingers over his wet head, noting how dark the strands were when wet. It was a curious how much lighter his hair was when dry, more auburn red than brown. She chalked it up to his time outdoors, although Forks was usually overcast. Still it wasn't an issue for Bella.

Neither were the beautiful, grass green of his eyes. So light and enchanting, Bella had found herself staring at them for long periods of time when he was still a baby. Even now she was captivated by them, and the depth of expression they often showed.

It had been a big surprise to Bella when she first realized Noah had green eyes, as everyone in his immediate family's were brown. But her mother, Renee, had assured Bella that he probably inherited them from her mother, who had died before Bella was born.

Not everyone was as willing to believe this theory, however. It was painful for Bella to think about, so she pushed it to the side and focused on what mattered. Noah.

"Hey monster, what's this from?" Bella asked, her thoughts shifting quickly as she stared at the large purple mark on her son's leg.

Noah looked down and shrugged, unsure where he had gotten the bruise and returned to his much more interesting bubble world. Bella looked over his body, noting quite a few more marks were present on his fair skin. A flutter of worry crept across her mind before she dismissed it. Noah was an active little boy who liked to play hard and fast, which resulted in scratches and bumps often.

Still, after Bella placed Noah in bed and read him his standard bedtime story of _Where the Wild Things Are_, the purple and blue marks bothered her. She knew some were most likely due to his outing with Charlie and his tendency to run into things, but something continued to plague her with worry.

Unable to find peace, Bella decided to call her parents and see if something had happened that could explain Noah's bruises.

"Hey sweetie," Renee answered with a smile.

"Hi Mom," Bella replied, already feeling relief at hearing her mother's unconcerned voice. Renee tended to be an over-thinker, a trait Bella inherited herself, so if she was answering the phone as though nothing were wrong, Bella was sure everything was okay.

"How's my grandbaby?"

"Down for the night," Bella said. "Actually, that's why I called. When I was giving Noah his bath, I noticed he had a few new bruises. Did he get hurt today when he was with you or Dad?"

"No, not that I know of," Renee thoughtfully replied. "Although, he did say he was tired, which isn't like him. And that his head hurt a bit," she added.

Bella swallowed thickly, concerned Noah hadn't mentioned that to her. "He didn't say anything to me. Was there anything else?"

"No, just the headache. I let him rest and gave him a cool compress, figuring it was the sunburn he had."

Bella nodded though Renee couldn't see it. "Okay, thanks Mom."

"You don't think it's anything serious do you?" Renee wondered.

"I doubt it. You're probably right, it's just the sunburn," Bella admitted, silently chastising herself for over-reacting. "I'll check on him a few times tonight to make sure though," she said before giving her goodbyes and hanging up.

*(*

Bella was flipping through the newspaper a few days later when her mother called her, frantic and upset.

"Bella! Oh, Bella, you have to take Noah to the doctor," Renee pleaded.

"What? Mom, what are you talking about? Calm down," Bella tried to comfort her.

"Bella, its cancer!" Renee wailed.

Bella was stunned, completely caught off guard by what she was hearing. "What? I don't understand, what's cancer?"

"Noah's symptoms! They're for cancer. Bella, you have to take him right now to see Dr. Kastelic," Renee ordered.

"Wait, wait. Slow down. Where did you get this idea?" Bella asked with concern.

"I saw it on the news this morning, Bella. His headaches and bruises, the fever he had the other day. They are all signs of childhood cancer," Renee cried.

Bella worried her lower lip as she thought over Renee's words. Noah had been feverish the day following his outing with Charlie and he did have a few more bruises than normal. But it couldn't be cancer, that was insane. He was too young for something like that. And he was healthy, always up and running around.

Except he had been sluggish the last few days. Bella had assumed he was feeling the after- effects of too much sun… but it couldn't be. Could it?

"I don't know Mom. That seems a little farfetched, don't you think?"

"Baby, I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't sure. I think you should get him checked out immediately."

Bella was torn, her practical side telling her Renee was over-reacting and that Noah was simply suffering from too much sun exposure. The other side, the mother bear side, was telling her to listen to her mother and set up an appointment with the pediatrician.

"I don't know…" Bella hedged, her practical side winning.

"Please, Bella. Just call Dr. Kastelic for a check-up. It won't hurt to have him look Noah over," Renee begged.

After a few moments, Bella conceded. It wouldn't really be a problem to have the doctor look at her son, and it would appease her mother's fears. And it wouldn't hurt to stifle the more protective side of Bella, either.

After assuring Renee she would call the minute Dr. Kastelic pronounced Noah with a clean bill of health, Bella made the call to her son's pediatrician and booked an appointment for later that week.

Bella was sure there was nothing to find, after all. Noah had been a healthy baby, though rather vocal in the beginning, and rarely had any health concerns. She didn't expect to find out any different now.

No, nothing out of the ordinary would be found concerning her son. She was sure of it.


	3. The Cullen Divide

**Chapter 2- The Cullen Divide**

*(*

"Mr. Cullen, if you'll just sign here and here," the attorney pointed to a line on the documents with his index finger. Edward nodded and picked up the black ink pen sitting in front of him.

He sighed internally as he looked over the document that would put an end to everything.

He was resigned to the fact that by signing his name, he would be breaking up his family for good. The life he had tried to provide for his son, one with the perfect home and loving parents, wasn't meant to be. Edward's own dream was intrinsically tied to that wishful life, a warm home and devoted wife who would love him and their family no matter what.

Edward thought he'd found that when he married Tanya. How wrong he'd been.

Shaking his head, he quickly scratched his name across the indicated spaces, and with that simple flourish, it was done.

He was divorced.

At twenty-eight years old, his life had already taken a turn he'd never intended it to. Married for three and a half years, and already the thin façade of his marriage was broken and exposed to everyone for the farce it had apparently been.

"Very good, sir," Edward's attorney said, as he gathered the papers and placed them in his briefcase. "Once Ms. Richards signs these, I'll have them filed immediately." The pudgy man with fading brown hair pushed back from the table to stand. "You'll hear from my office as soon as it's all in order."

"Thank you," Edward replied, rising himself to follow his attorney back to the reception area now that their business was finished. The men parted ways at the door with a handshake, and Edward trudged heavily towards his red Mercedes-Benz BLK. It was a gorgeous car and one of the safest on the market, which is why he had allowed the otherwise flashy purchase.

That had been Tanya's doing.

She was adamant they have only the best things in life, especially since Edward could afford it. Tanya had been the one to find their house, a modern monstrosity that always felt so empty to Edward, but he went with it. Just like he had for everything else she wanted, all in the hopes that those material things would make her happy.

If she was happy, then she'd be more loving he'd assumed. His assumption proved wrong.

Tanya had turned out to be exactly what he'd initially thought when they met years ago. Money hungry and desperate for power, Tanya used Edward in any way to achieve her desires.

He snorted to himself as he twisted the car key in the ignition. She wouldn't be getting anything else from him now. The years he spent with her were more than enough.

The ringing of his phone pulled Edward from thoughts of his soon-to-be ex-wife, and he quickly answered before it could go to voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Edward," his sister Alice's chipper voice responded. "How did things go?"

"It went well," Edward said with a sigh. He may be glad to be rid of Tanya personally, but it didn't ease his conscience that his son would be losing his mother.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. You are so much better off without that harpy," Alice announced.

"Alice," Edward admonished.

"What? You are," she argued. "You never should have married her just because she was pregnant."

"What would you have had me do, Alice? Let her raise Ollie on her own?"

"No, we both know that would have been a disaster," Alice agreed. "The woman barely qualifies as a mother now, I can't imagine what a nightmare she would be if she'd had to do it all herself."

"Exactly." Edward hated agreeing but it was clear to everyone in the Cullen family that Tanya wanted no part of their son's life except for the extent it allowed her access to money and Edward's good graces.

If only he had seen that earlier, the messy divorce could have been avoided.

"Well we can't undo your past mistakes, we'll just move forward," Alice said with confidence. She was determined her brother would come out of this much better off. "So where are you headed now? Do you have time for celebratory drinks?"

"No, sorry sis. I'm on my way to Mom and Dad's to pick up Ollie," Edward said with a smile. He couldn't wait to have his son in his arms again.

"Oh, all right. But don't think you can put this off forever. We are going to celebrate your freedom in style, Brother!" Alice cheered.

Edward laughed, feeling lighter and happier already."I'll call you soon to set up a time."

"You'd better, or I'll kidnap my cute nephew and return him hopped up on sugar," Alice said with a trilling laugh, negating her threat.

*(*

"Ollie, can you pass Nana Mae the vanilla please?" Esme asked as she stirred a bowl.

"Yes," Ollie replied, before reaching over for the little brown bottle and carefully handing it to his grandmother. He then watched as she carefully added two teaspoons to the mix, fascination clear on his face.

Edward observed from his perch in the doorway, unbeknownst to the two bakers. His chest warmed from the sight, and he decided to keep his presence secret for a few more minutes, leaning on his right side with one foot kicked across the other as he watched their movements.

"Now Nana Mae needs to add the flour. Do you know which one that is?"

"Dis one," Ollie said, as he pointed to the clear container that held the powdery substance.

"Right you are, Bug," Esme responded, as she grabbed the jar and pulled it to her before measuring out how much she would need.

Ollie watched Esme add small portions of the flour slowly to her bowl, stirring after each addition. He tilted his head in thought before posing his question. "Nana Mae, why do you add flowers? Does it maked da cookies smell better?"

Esme chuckled at his innocent confusion. "Well, cookies do smell good like flowers but this is a different kind of _flour_. We use this for baking so the cookies will be delicious. The flowers outside are for looking at and giving to pretty girls," she winked.

Ollie nodded solemnly, filing away this information for future reference. "Does Papa give you flowers?" he asked after a moment.

"Sometimes," Esme replied, with a wistful smile.

"They maked you happy?" Ollie asked, with a bashful look, tracing his fingers across the counter top. Esme nodded her head in answer as she added more flour to the mix.

"Daddy should give Mommy flowers. That would maked her happy, too."

Esme's stirring stopped, her gaze flickering to the little boy beside her with sadness. Edward chose that moment to announce himself, and save his mother from having to respond.

"What's this? A new chef in the family? Does this mean I don't have to make dinner anymore?" Edward asked, as he stepped into the room, Ollie jumping from his stool to run to his father. Edward swung the little boy up in his arms and kissed his cheek.

"We're making chocolate chip cookies, Daddy!" Ollie told him. "But don't touch da oven, it's hot," he said sternly, as he held Edward's face between his small hands.

"Good to know," Edward nodded. Ollie squirmed in Edward's embrace, wanting to be put down so he could help put the cookie dough on the buttered sheets. Edward released him and stepped to his mother's side, pressing a kiss on her cheek in greeting.

"Hi, sweetheart," Esme said, as she gave him the once-over. She noted his tired eyes and the crease of his brow. She hated he was so upset over his failed marriage, but she remained silent about it. It wasn't her place to say anything.

Edward smiled at the knowing look in his mother's eye and gave his own look, saying he was fine. Esme harrumphed but let it go. She knew he'd talk if and when he was ready. For now, she was going to enjoy having her favorite boys in her home.

"Bug, tell Daddy what you and Papa did today while I put these in the oven to bake," Esme said sweetly to her grandson.

Ollie jumped into his tales of spending the day with his Papa Carlisle. Edward listened with attention as Ollie told him of spending his afternoon at the church where Carlisle ministered. Ollie had free reign of the building and used it to his advantage, playing in all the rooms and littering the pulpit with his toys as he played, which Carlisle apparently tripped on when he came out for lunch.

"Papa said his speech for me, but I was sleepy and didn't heard much of it. I took a nap instead but Papa said it was okay when I woked up," Ollie explained. Edward laughed at the story; he had almost fallen asleep a few times when he was listening to his father's sermons as a child. It hadn't been okay for him, however, when Carlisle found out.

"You should talk instead of him," Ollie said, as he dipped his hand into the now-empty bowl Esme had conveniently left beside him. Edward narrowed his eyes at his mother but she feigned ignorance as she watched Ollie sneak the lasts bits of remaining dough into his eager mouth.

"Why's that, Ollie?" Esme asked, focusing back on his son.

"Because Daddy's stories are funnier than Papa's. I wouldn't fall asleep den," he said. Edward and Esme both laughed but didn't comment further on Carlisle's ability to entertain during church service.

"Sounds like you had a full day, little man. Did you even have time to miss me?" Edward pouted.

"Of course, Daddy. I always miss you most," Ollie said, with a roll of his eyes.

"Good. I missed you most, too," Edward told him, and pulled the dough-covered boy into his arms. "Let's get you cleaned up for dinner," he said, as they walked down the hall to the bathroom.

*(*

Edward sat down at the table, Ollie to his right, as Esme brought in the last remaining dish for their family dinner. Carlisle was seated at the head of the table and offered a quiet platitude of thanks to Esme as she sat to his left.

"Shall we say our blessing?" Carlisle's smooth voice asked, and each head nodded. Before Carlisle could open his mouth to begin, he was cut off.

"Wait! Daddy, you say it. Den we'll gets to eat sooner," Ollie informed the table. Carlisle sat back in shock but with a bemused smile hidden in his eyes, as both Edward and Esme tried to stifle their laughter.

"Ollie, that isn't a very nice thing to say about Papa," Carlisle scolded, but it was clear he was teasing. Ollie didn't seem to care, at any rate.

"It's true," Ollie replied. "You talked so long today I felled asleep." Esme snorted, which dissolved Edward's control and he joined in laughing at his father, and the slight he received from his grandson.

"Is this something you all feel?" Carlisle asked incredulously.

"No, no," Esme chortled, trying to speak around her giggles. "It's just sometimes you are a little long-winded, dear." She reached over to pat Carlisle's hand to ease her words.

"I don't know what you're all laughing about. It's my job to speak of God," Carlisle grumbled, but smirked at the amused faces around him.

Edward did his best to keep his chuckles to a minimum as he went through a quick prayer of thanks before assisting Ollie with his food.

"No, I don't like green beans," Ollie complained, as Edward added them to his plate.

"You need them to grow up big and strong."

"I'm already big and strong," Ollie argued.

"Well, to make you even bigger and stronger then," Edward told him, before cutting up the chicken into smaller pieces.

"But they're yucky," he whined. "I don't want dem."

"Oliver," Edward warned. "Don't be rude. Nana Mae worked very hard to give you all this good food. Let's show her how much we appreciate her by eating it."

Ollie sulked in his seat for a moment before attempting to use his puppy dog eyes on Edward. One sharp look from his father straightened him out, and he dutifully ate his dinner, green beans and all.

"How are things at work?" Carlisle asked, his light brown eyes peering with interest at Edward as he poked around at the roasted chicken on his plate.

"Good, moving right along," Edward responded as he cut into his chicken. "We're working on getting in some new clients who are willing to back the scholarship program Alice created."

"That sounds promising, dear." Esme smiled, warmth radiating from her eyes at her son. "Between your financial advice and your sister's powers of persuasion, I don't think anyone will be able to turn you down."

Edward laughed, knowing how true his mother's words were concerning his sister. "Yes, it looks like hiring Alice on as a communications expert was the best decision the Pacific Northwest Trust could have done."

"Edward, how did everything go with the attorneys?" Esme asked abruptly, unable to keep the likely upsetting topic from her lips any longer. She was worried about her son, and despite his attempts to hide it, she could see the fatigue around his eyes and knew it must be from the divorce.

"As good as can be expected," Edward answered, before looking at his son to see if he was paying attention to their conversation. Ollie was focused on making a mountain out of his potatoes and not listening to the grown-ups, so Edward went on.

"She isn't contesting custody, but I hadn't expected her to. She's just dragging this out so she can get more money out of me," Edward replied with disdain. "I think the current agreement is going to work out for everyone, though. But I'll have to wait and see, I guess."

"And you don't see the two of you resolving your differences?" Carlisle questioned from his seat, his face fighting to look impassive.

Edward huffed, already defensive about this topic. "I don't see how that's possible. She doesn't care about me, just my money. Her own son isn't even a factor for her."

Esme gave him a sympathetic look but remained quiet, knowing how upset Edward was over the failure of his marriage. Edward was never good at accepting failures or shortcomings in his own life, though he often overlooked them in others. Tanya would be a case in point.

Although, it could be said that Edward's parents were partly responsible, since they had encouraged him to marry her once she announced she was pregnant.

"I'm sorry to hear that, son," Carlisle said judiciously. It was difficult for him to be impartial about the whole matter, considering his religious beliefs conflicted with Edward's current situation.

It was true Edward wasn't as strictly religious as Carlisle had hoped, but he did the right thing when the time came, as evidenced by marrying the woman responsible for giving Edward a son out of wedlock. Divorcing her, however, was not part of their shared faith.

"Nana Mae, can we have da cookies now?" Ollie piped up, disrupting the tension which had settled over the table. "I ated your green beans…mostly," he said as he pushed the rather large pile around his plate with sheepish eyes.

"Of course, Ollie-bug," Esme smiled.

*(*

Edward tucked the blankets around his sleepy son, brushing his dark hair from his face. It was incredible to him how fast Ollie was growing. He had dark brown hair and eyes that Edward loved more than most. He thought his son would have his green eyes or even Tanya's icy blue, but when Ollie opened them up that first day and Edward stared down into their brown depths, he couldn't have cared less. As long as Oliver was healthy and happy, Edward would be too.

He was tall too, much taller than the other three-year-olds in his pre-school, though Edward wasn't short by any means. Edward chalked that up to being advanced for his age, which Ollie was, not only physically but mentally as well. It was amazing to see the intelligence flashing in his son's eyes when Ollie would hear new information or ask questions about how things worked. Even his language was fairly advanced, although he did still get some words mixed up.

It all proved to Edward he had the brightest and best kid in the bunch; one he loved entirely and wouldn't give up for the world. He may not love Tanya anymore, but he would always be grateful to her for giving him the gift of their son.

"Daddy," Ollie whined, as he shifted in his bed, his eyes fluttering as he fought sleep.

"Yeah, buddy?" Edward asked, as he stroked Ollie's back in soothing circles.

"I can't sleep," he complained.

"Something wrong, Ollie?"

Ollie nodded, his face scrunching up in distaste and exhaustion. "You didn't sing da song," Ollie said in a sleepy voice.

"You want me to sing?" Edward asked, softly stroking his son's hair as he watched him fuss in his bed. Ollie nodded, his eyes blinking heavily. He didn't make many requests of his father, so Edward was willing to give in when he did.

"Okay," Edward softly replied, before lying down on the bed beside his son and pulling his little body into his chest and began to sing.

"_I see the Moon and the Moon sees me,  
The Moon sees the one that I'd like to see.  
God Bless the Moon and God Bless me,  
And God Bless the one that I'd like to see._

God looked down on me from above,  
And He gave you to me for me to love,  
He picked you out from all the rest,  
Because He knew that I'd love you the best."

Edward finished the song with a kiss to Ollie's forehead, his deep breaths signaling sleep. Edward continued to lay there for a few more minutes, enjoying spending uninterrupted time with him.

He finally shuffled out of the room, leaving the door cracked slightly so the hall light could shine in. Edward made his way to his room before stripping out of his clothes and stepping into his bathroom for a shower.

The water poured down on his body, relaxing his muscles under the just-right warm spray, not too hot or too cold. Edward's head hung down between his shoulders as he pressed his hands to the tile wall.

His mind was a whirling mess of everything that had happened today, from signing his divorce papers to having to endure a tense dinner with his parents. He couldn't help but feel guilty about letting them down, despite their denial of feeling disappointed in his actions.

"Stop fucking thinking about it," Edward cursed himself and shook his head. He quickly went through his shower routine before drying off and changing into his sleep pants and a white t-shirt.

Edward checked on Ollie one more time before lying down in his own bed, and waited for sleep to come. He was disappointed as his brain continued to plague him with thoughts of his failed relationship.

He wished things had been different, wished he had loved Tanya enough; or that she had loved him and Ollie enough to make it work. But it wasn't in the cards for them. He wasn't sad for himself about losing Tanya. He'd never really loved her like a husband should love a wife, if he was honest with himself.

But, Ollie…Ollie clearly missed his mother's love.

Edward prayed that one day he would have it, without restrictions or barriers.

Unending, bottomless, plentiful motherly love.

* * *

**a/n: Thank you so much for your continued support, for reading, for sharing this fic with others, and for having patience with me as I write. Love to my beta, mauigirl60 for all her hardwork!**


	4. Blood Fears

**Chapter 3- Blood Fears**

*(*

Bella strapped Noah into his car seat and handed him a picture book. "You all set, baby?"

"Yes, Momma," Noah replied, without looking up.

Bella chuckled as she shut the door. The kid loved books, an inherited trait of her own, no doubt. She settled herself into the seat of her SUV and carefully pulled out onto the street before heading toward the hospital.

It had taken a few days for the doctor to see Noah after Bella made the call at Renee's insistence. She wasn't concerned herself any more about something being wrong with Noah since his sun-burn had abated, as did his fever and headaches. But if it would ease her mother's worried mind, Bella would do it.

Casting her eyes into the rear-view mirror to check on her son, Bella smiled at his happy face. He was looking between the book in his lap and the scenery passing by his window. "You find any birds from your book yet?"

"Not yet." Noah continued to study the cartoonish drawings and the window, hoping he would spot one today. His Grandpa had given him the book and swore he could find one of the pretty birds printed inside if he looked hard enough.

Bella turned her attention back to the road and flicked on the radio. She hummed along to the tune, not hearing it but enjoying the noise it provided until Noah spoke up.

"Momma, I don't like this one. Play the walking song," he demanded.

"The walking song… which one is that?" Bella asked, pretending to be unsure as she flipped over to the mixed CD. She loved that Noah had such great taste in music, and he continued to prove it by not letting Bella ever listen to the current pop music. Noah abhorred all things 'Gaga'-related, be it the so-called singer or the children's show with a similar name.

"You know!" Noah shouted from his car seat, with a laugh.

"I don't know. Can you sing it for me?"

"Walk like a man…talk like a man… walk like a man, talk like a man," Noah sweetly sang, his feet kicking in the air. "You 'member?"

Bella smiled at him, loving the sound of his voice. "I think I know now. Is it this one?" Bella asked, turning the volume up as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons began to sing.

"Yeah!" Noah cheered before breaking into the chorus, not caring in the least if the song was at the part he knew or not yet.

Bella sang along with him, hitting repeat a few times until they arrived at the small hospital and made their way inside. They sat in the waiting room to be called, Noah happily singing to himself as he played with a few action figures, while Bella sneaked in a few minutes reading her book. A lovely nurse in pale blue scrubs with blonde hair called for them awhile later and led them to an exam room to wait for Dr. Kastelic.

Dr. Kastelic was the newest addition to Forks General, having taken over for Dr. Gerandy two years prior when he was forced into retirement by his wife. Bella had missed the older gentleman and his way with patients, but would never begrudge a person from spending time with their family.

Not to say Dr. Kastelic was an incompetent doctor or had a bad bedside manner, he was very smart and good in his own right. He just tended to flirt heavily with Bella whenever she brought Noah in for a check-up, and this bothered her since she wasn't looking to fill that role in her life.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite person to see," Dr. Kastelic called, as he swept into the room, his blue eyes smirking at Bella. She gritted her teeth, already put off by him. "And you brought your mom too, Noah!" the doctor laughed.

Noah scooted back into Bella's side but offered a timid hello. Bella curled her arm around his shoulders and rubbed comfortingly. She knew Noah wasn't a fan of doctors because they had needles and he hated getting shots. She also got the impression he didn't care for Dr. Kastelic a great deal either.

"Bella Swan, it's always a pleasure to see you," Dr. Kastelic greeted her, his smile broad. "What brings you to see me today? Noah isn't scheduled for a regular check-up for another two months, correct?"

Bella cleared her throat, glad to get down to business. "That's correct, Dr. Kastelic."

"Please, feel free to call me James," he cut across her. "We're all friends here."

Bella suppressed the shudder she felt as his blue eyes roamed her frame and went on with her reason for visiting. "Err, right. Well, um, I'm actually here because of a concern my mother brought up about Noah's health last week."

Dr. Kastelic's demeanor shifted from flirtatious to serious, which Bella felt grateful for. She knew the man may have an interest in her, but he took his work seriously, which was why she never made any official complaints about his overly-amorous nature.

"What seems to be the issue?"

"Well, Noah was complaining about headaches awhile back. And then last week, he started experiencing some extreme tiredness and had a fever. I talked with my mother about it since she and my dad had been with him that day, and we chalked it up to sunburn."

Dr. Kastelic nodded his head but motioned for her to continue.

"I let it go after that, but Renee called me in a panic a few days later, saying she'd seen a segment on the news about childhood cancer and how Noah's symptoms matched up," Bella said, shaking her head at the memory of Renee's antics.

"I know it's probably nothing; my mother tends to make things much more dramatic than they are, but I felt it wouldn't hurt to bring him in just to check, since he did have some of the symptoms."

"That's fine, Ms. Swan. There is never a problem with you being overly cautious. Tell me about what prompted these concerns in more detail, if you can."

Dr. Kastelic and Bella went over the last few weeks, Bella explaining any unusual behavior that might be related to Noah's health. Dr. Kastelic listened intently and made notes on a chart he'd brought with him, taking care to observe Noah as they spoke. Once Bella answered all his questions, Dr. Kastelic gave Noah a quick exam, checking his temperature, muscle strength and glands in particular for any abnormalities.

"Well, from my initial assessment, it doesn't seem like you have anything to worry about, Bella. I would like to take a blood sample and run a few tests, just to make sure since some of his previously-mentioned symptoms do align with indicators for leukemia; this will help us to definitively rule it out. But, I honestly don't think we'll find anything abnormal with our little guy," Dr. Kastelic said, with a confident smile.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been seriously worried, but it did relieve her to hear it from the doctor. "Okay, that sounds fine."

***(***

It was a few weeks later before Bella heard anything back from Dr. Kastelic concerning Noah's test results. She had arrived home from work after picking Noah up from his daycare only to find the flashing red light on her answering machine blinking.

She pushed the button and walked into the kitchen to start preparing dinner once Noah raced down the hall to his room, his backpack trailing behind him.

"_Ms. Swan, this is Morgan Wright at Forks General. I'm calling on behalf of Dr. Kastelic. He wanted to let you know Noah's test results are in and he'd like you to come down to discuss them as soon as possible. Please give us a call at…."_

Bella didn't hear the rest of the message as her mind whirled with worry. She stood in her kitchen like a hundred-year-old oak, rooted and unmoving, as the possibly horrid outcomes assaulted her.

Why would she need to come in to the hospital? Was Dr. Kastelic mistaken before? Did the test results show something was actually wrong with Noah?

Her heart was pounding as Bella replayed the message over and over in her mind, the nurse's calm and unaffected voice not offering any indication of how the talk would go. Should she be worried? Did she need to start researching diseases? Oh God, she needed to call her mother. Bella didn't think she would be capable of handling this on her own.

"Momma, can we eats pizza for dinner?" Noah chirped, breaking Bella from the turmoil of her thoughts. She needed to focus on the present, not on what she might learn in the future. She was probably over-reacting anyway. Dr. Kastelic assured her he didn't believe anything to be wrong with Noah.

He was probably just trying to see her again, maybe ask her out on a date. It would be just like him to take advantage of the situation and lure her down to see him.

Satisfied with this logic, Bella looked down at her son's pleading eyes and smiled. "Sure baby, we can have pizza."

"Yes!" Noah cheered and raced circles around Bella's legs, as he began spouting off what he would like for his toppings. "I wants cheese and pickles and peponi, and maybe some M-n-Ms and mawshmellows."

"I don't think they put all that on pizzas, Noah. Besides, I want to eat, too, and since we'll be sharing this pizza," she explained, watching as his face crumpled, "I think we'll get one with extra cheese and pepperoni only."

"What about dessewt?" Noah sulked, jutting his bottom lip out into an adorable pout that often broke Bella's resolve.

It worked again.

"Fine, we can get some ice cream," Bella conceded before qualifying her response, taming the joyful look on Noah's face slightly. "But we have to eat some salad before the pizza gets here."

Noah gave a sigh, his shoulders slumping at his mother's words. He knew she would make him eat something like that. He nodded his head in agreement and turned to go back to playing but stopped at the doorway, spinning around to question his mother again. "But I gets to pick da ice cweam wight?"

"Sure." Bella smiled as his face lit up again and she observed him as danced back down the hall to his room.

Noah was filled with energy and excitement, not a care in his happy little world.

There was no way she could be getting bad news when her son looked like that. She was sure of it.

*(*

"Thanks so much for watching him, Rose. I don't think I'll be too long, but he hates going to the doctor's office," Bella explained as she handed Rosalie a bag full of toys, snacks, a few pull-ups, and a change of clothes.

"It's not a problem, Bella. You know Emmett and I love having him," Rose smiled warmly at her. "Besides, it's good practice," she added with a wink.

"Oh my god, are you guys…?" Bella questioned excitedly.

"No, no. Not yet, but we are trying." Rose smiled enthusiastically, excited to share the news with her friend.

"Oh Rose, I'm so happy for you! Another baby in the family would be amazing!" Bella said, pulling her friend into her embrace. "You and Emmett will make great parents."

"Thanks. That means a lot coming from a wonderful mother like you," Rose told her bashfully.

"Pfft, nothing to it," Bella kidded. She was actually very proud to hear someone as strong and intelligent as Rose say she was a good mother. It helped to counter the hurtful words others had told her.

"Okay, well I'd better get to my appointment. I'd hate to keep Dr. Kastelic waiting," she rolled her eyes, sounding put out.

"Oh yes, having the hot, young blond doctor lusting after you must be such a burden," Rose teased with a smirk.

"I'm not interested. I don't need any man but Noah in my life," Bella explained. "Speaking of which…. Noah? Come say bye to Mommy," she called loudly down the front hall of the McCarty home.

The scampering of little feet was soon heard, followed by loud footfalls and giggles."Momma, Momma! Uncle Em and me are gonna westle!"

"Well, you'll just have to put your game on hold so you can give me kisses," Bella told him, smiling, as she dropped down to pull him into her arms. "Now you listen to what your Auntie Rose tells you, and don't beat up Uncle Emmett too badly. He's a sore loser."

"I heard that Bella!" Emmett chuckled from beside his wife. "I've never lost a wrestling match in my life."

"Sure you haven't, Em."

"What? It's true! Would I ever lie?" Emmett cried. Bella and Rose both gave him a flat stare, clear indications they didn't buy his line of malarkey. Emmett scoffed as Bella straightened Noah's shirt and shorts, noticing he was already missing his left sock.

"Don't you listen, monster, Uncle Emmett's got a bad habit of living in his pretend world too much."

"I'm hurt, Bella. Seriously hurt," Emmett tried to pout, but the twinkle in his eye gave him away.

Bella pressed a final kiss to Noah's forehead and released him before standing up to look at Emmett. "Yeah, well, you'll live. Now, take care of my baby. I want him returned to me in the same perfect condition I'm leaving him in. Plus a sock," she warned playfully.

"Shit, already? Kid loses stuff way too fast," Emmett grumbled, as he trudged down the hall trailing Noah, scanning the floor for the missing sock.

Bella and Rose looked at each other and laughed, Emmett was like an overgrown child himself, which was part of the reason Noah loved spending time with him. Bella loved her cousin dearly and was happy to give them time together. It worked out great for her, knowing as long as Emmett was around, Noah would have a positive male role model in his life.

_If only the same could be said for his father_, Bella thought ruefully, as she started her car and headed to the hospital.

*(*

"Bella, I've got to say it's always a good day when I get to see you," Dr. James Kastelic exclaimed as he swaggered into his office, Bella trailing slowly behind him.

She wasn't thrilled to be meeting in his office but if the news was serious, which she was fervently praying it wasn't, then perhaps a more private setting would be appropriate. Bella choose to remain silent to James' flirty words, hoping it might dissuade him from continuing to do so, although it had never stopped him before.

"Why don't you have a seat and let me get my notes together," James said, pointing out a set of simple black chairs in front of his desk as he made his way around to his large chair. He shuffled around a few file folders and charts, along with an empty water bottle and a fast food wrapper as he looked for things on his cluttered desk.

If he was trying to impress her, he was failing. Bella appreciated someone who could keep a tidy space, much like herself. She understood things happened and messes were always going to be a part of her life since she had Noah, but when a grown man like Dr. Kastelic couldn't handle his own affairs, it made it very clear to Bella he wouldn't be able to help with hers.

Besides, she already had one three-year-old, she didn't need another.

"Ah! Found it!" James triumphantly proclaimed, holding the manila folder high in his right hand, a proud smile on his face. "I always get what I'm going for," he remarked suggestively, causing Bella to grimace.

Bella wished he would just get on with it. Did he not understand how nervous she was? How her stomach rolled with anxiety and tension at what could possibly warrant her coming in today?

"Can we just get down to why you called me here?" Bella asked, her calm, friendly façade cracking under the strain and pressure of the unknown.

The possibility of something being seriously wrong with her son was her only concern at the moment; she didn't have time to rebuff his romantic advances. She needed to know what Dr. Kastelic had found, if anything.

James bristled at her tone, but smoothed his face into his most professional expression. "Yes, of course, Ms. Swan." He cleared his throat, opening the file and running over the information there with his eyes once before speaking.

"Well, first, let me put you at ease, Bella. There is nothing wrong with Noah," Dr. Kastelic explained, looking up and smiling.

Bella exhaled deeply, all the breath she had been holding whooshing out of her in one long rush. Her shoulder relaxed immediately and the tension from her clenched muscles released at his words.

_Nothing was wrong, thank God_. Bella closed her eyes and sent up a quiet prayer of thanks, grateful beyond belief at the news.

"Yes, the test results came back all in the negative, meaning nothing was wrong like you had feared. In fact, Noah is extremely healthy. In the top percentiles for his age, even. So I hope that will make you breathe easier."

"Yes, of course. Thank you so much for taking my concern seriously, Dr. Kastelic. I know I'm probably just an over-worrying mother. but I had to be sure," Bella apologized, though her relief was obvious from knowing nothing was wrong for sure.

"It's fine Bella, don't worry about it. Over-protective parents are a part of the job," James waved a hand dismissively. "But I wanted to speak with you about a concern I had with Noah's medical history."

Bella paused, unsure what the problem could be. After all, Noah had been born in this very hospital so his records couldn't have been lost in a move or something. She had all of his regular check-ups and vaccinations done here, and he'd never been sick enough to receive emergency care.

"I'm sorry, what's wrong with his history?" Bella asked, her brow crinkled in confusion.

"Well, I don't mean to overstep my bounds, but as Noah's current physician, I need to have the most accurate medical history for him in order to provide the best care possible. So, information concerning his parents needs to be included." Dr. Kastelic gave her a stern look, hoping to impress his point upon her clearly.

Bella was still confused. "What do you mean? I'm his mother and my information is in there. So is his father's. I made sure it was added."

"Yes, but I need to know any information about his birth parents as well," Dr. Kastelic explained patiently.

Bella looked at the man with a dumbfounded expression. "His birth parents? What the hell are you talking about? I'm his mother!" Bella shouted, her anger flaring at the audacity of the man before her.

"Ms. Swan, please calm down. I understand you see yourself as his mother, I'm not disputing that. But his birth parents may have a history of illness or disease—,"

"You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about! _I gave birth to him_! In this very hospital!" Bella yelled, jumping up from her chair and slamming her hands on the desk, files and other debris littering the floor.

James swallowed thickly, shocked by the usually passive woman's outburst. "Bella, I don't understand. According to the blood tests we ran, Noah can't be your son." He leaned back in his chair in an attempt to put distance between himself and the raging mother before him.

Bella's anger slammed to a halt at his words. She didn't understand what he meant. "What?" she asked, her voice much softer.

James took notice of her shift in attitude, and quickly went on to explain as best he could. "When we ran the tests, we took a blood sample. Noah's blood-work was fine but I did notice an anomaly from his file. Your blood type is stated as being AB-positive, and the father Jacob Black, is B-positive. Noah's blood type is O-negative."

Bella had always been a good student, from the time she was a little girl all the way through college. She scored high marks in all her classes and was even listed on the Dean's Honor Roll. Although science hadn't been her favorite subject, she did understand the basics of biology. And if her memory served her correctly, than what Dr. Kastelic just revealed was impossible.

Noah couldn't possibly have O-negative blood, not if one of his parents didn't also have O-negative. It was genetically not possible, especially with such a rare blood type as O-negative.

"There must be some mistake," Bella said, refusing to believe what she was hearing. "Check it again, something isn't right. Noah is my son," she demanded.

"Bella, I had his blood work run three times to make sure. He's O-negative."

"That can't be…can't be right," Bella whimpered, falling roughly to her seat as her mind became a tangle of shock, disbelief, and fear. "It's not right…"

Knowing how stressful and upsetting this unexpected news was, Dr. Kastelic tried to think of another viable reason for the discrepancy. "Is there any chance you or his father might be wrong about your own blood type?" he asked sympathetically.

"I know my blood type for sure. I had to have a transfusion in high school after a car accident in the school parking lot," Bella replied, half-aware she was even speaking. "But Jake might have been wrong about his," she offered.

"That seems to be the most logical answer," Dr. Kastelic soothed her with a light touch to her arm, having moved around to her when she fell back in her seat. "Perhaps you should talk with him, and then let me know so I can make the changes in Noah's file."

"Yes, yes. That's a good idea. I'll talk to Jake," Bella answered, her determination and strength returning. "I'm sorry for yelling, I was just…"

"Shocked, understandably so. I'm sorry for not being more sensitive with the information, I thought you already knew," Dr. Kastelic offered his own apology.

"It's okay, I understand," Bella replied, before gathering her things and standing to leave, though her knees were still weak. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can with Jake's correct blood type, Dr. Kastelic. Thank you for telling me."

"Of course, Ms. Swan. I hope you get everything straightened out."

Bella left the hospital, unnerved by the news she'd just learned. A mix-up with Jake's blood type was the most likely cause, but something dark and ugly churned in her gut, telling her it may not be that simple.

As she made harrowing turns, breaking several traffic laws on her way to La Push to confront Jake since he refused to answer her call, doubt and fear began to well inside her tightly-wound body.

What if Noah wasn't hers? What if he belonged to someone else?

What would she do?


	5. Unraveled

**Chapter 4- Unraveled **

*(*

Bella swallowed convulsively several times as she sat in her car, attempting to regulate her breathing and keeping the contents of her stomach from escaping like they threatened to, since leaving Dr. Kastelic's office.

Her eyes searched the landscape surrounding her, not finding much. Little had changed in the months since she'd last seen been here, not that she would have expected it to. Jake and his house were very similar in that fashion, never changing or evolving, continuing on in their constant state of purgatory.

While some might consider that admirable, Bella knew the value of being able to change and adapt was much more important. If you couldn't change or weren't willing to adapt when circumstances demanded, the harsh realities of life would leave you stagnant and rotting like a plank of wood in the cold, wet rain.

A lot like the old, faded red house in front of her.

Bella caught the flutter of a curtain in the front window from the corner of her eye and knew she had been discovered. She thought it was Jake watching her since his motorcycle was propped up in the drive, but she wasn't going to assume anything. She and Jake led very different lives now, hardly resembling the childhood they'd spent together.

It was disheartening, considering they shared a child, which should have woven their lives together even more. Unfortunately for her son, it had the opposite effect.

Mustering all her strength and patience, she exited her vehicle and walked up the short drive and onto the porch before knocking on the door. She could hear shuffling and a thump inside, followed by a woman's giggle and then muffled voices.

Bella sighed. Dealing with one of Jake's flavors of the week was not something she wanted to do during this visit. She just needed to get his medical information and then she'd be gone, and Jake could go back to diddling whomever he wanted then.

That is, if he'd answer the door anytime soon. Bella knocked again, this time much harder to emphasize her impatience. After waiting another few minutes, Bella was getting ready to start pounding on the door when it was finally flung open, Jake's tall muscular frame darkening the doorstep.

"Bella! What a surprise to see you," Jake exaggerated, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Bella scoffed at his macho display, biceps and chest flexing. She was not impressed.

"Well, if you'd answered your phone one of the six times I tried to call you, you would have known I was on my way to see you," she deadpanned.

"Sorry I missed your call, I was… busy," he explained, with a gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure you were. Do you even know this one's name?" Bella scoffed.

Jake shrugged his shoulders and smiled lazily. "Does it matter?"

Bella was disgusted, her face scrunching and eyes narrowing at his crassness. This was not the boy she had once considered her best friend. This wasn't even the guy she finally agreed to date and sort of fell in love with back in college.

This man was a pig.

Jake smirked at her reaction, rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip as his eyes roved over Bella's body. "Not jealous are you, Bells?" he grinned salaciously.

Bella felt bile rise in her throat at his insinuation, jealousy was the furthest thing she felt at the moment. Revulsion, anger, sadness, and pity- yes. But jealous? No, not even close.

She decided to ignore his preposterous idea and get down to the business she'd come for. "I'm not here to talk about your… extracurricular activities. I need to talk to you about Noah."

Jake's cocky expression morphed quickly into a hard mask. He stood up straight and narrowed his dark eyes at her. "Why the hell would I give a fuck about that kid?"

Bella exhaled, attempting to keep her temper in check. She hated doing this song and dance with Jake every time she needed to speak with him about their son, but it had to be done.

"Jake, you know why. He's your son," Bella coolly stated, keeping her voice as calm as possible so the situation didn't escalate as it had so many times before.

"You know I don't buy that shit. Kid looks nothing like me," Jake growled, his body beginning to loom over Bella in a threatening manner.

Bella wouldn't back down though, not when it concerned her son. Jake could say whatever he wanted to about her, she didn't care. But Noah was another story.

She would do anything to protect him, from anything or anyone. His own father included.

"Jake, I don't want to get into that with you. That's not why I'm here," Bella said, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

"Why are you here then, Bella? 'Cause you and I both know I'm not spending time playing daddy to some other prick's son."

Bella's nostrils flared at Jake's continued denial of Noah. This is why they could no longer be friends, let alone a couple. Even two years after Jake made his unfounded claim and left Bella to raise Noah on her own, it still made her blood boil.

_And to think the jackass still tried to get in my pants_, Bella internally fumed. If he thought he would ever be with her again, while still denying his child, he had another thing coming.

Gritting her teeth, Bella bit out her reason for showing up on his doorstep. "Not that you care, but I had to take Noah to the hospital a few weeks ago and he had some bloodwork done. His tests results came back fine but there was a problem with his blood type," Bella explained.

"Apparently someone wrote your blood type wrong on his chart and now they need the right one. Do you have that information?"

Jake crinkled his brow, a mild flash of worry having worked its way into his stomach when Bella mentioned her son had been taken into the hospital, but he quickly brushed it off and concentrated on what she was asking.

"Well, hell, Bella. Does it even matter what my blood type is if he isn't mine? Shouldn't you be asking his real father?" Jake couldn't resist harassing her further. It really cut him deeply to think she had cheated on him, but the proof was as clear as the green eyes and red fucking hair on the kid's head.

Bella's tight hold on her anger snapped with Jake's spiteful words. "Fuck you, Jacob Black! That boy is the most wonderful human being in this world, and you will never get to know him because you're an asshole who refuses to see the fucking truth! I don't care, I really don't. You don't want to be a part of his life, a life you helped create, then fine.

"But you will _not_ keep me from providing the best life for him I can, and if I need your medical history, then you will _fucking give it to me_. Or so help me God, Jake, I will ruin your life. In every way imaginable," Bella seethed, her chest heaving as she yelled in his face, her eyes almost black with fury.

Jake was shocked by Bella's hostile reaction, scared to see so much hate flaming in her eyes. He backed up into his doorway to try and put space between himself and the enraged woman. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled unevenly, thoroughly shaken by Bella.

"Is everything alright?" a timid voice called out from down the hall.

"It's fine. Jake will be right back to fucking you in a minute," Bella snarled, all sense of decorum and civility gone. The red head ducked back into her hiding spot as Bella turned her glare back to her ex.

"Now, I need to know your blood type. Do you think you can figure that out, Jake?" Bella demanded, still fuming.

Jake swallowed nervously before asking her to wait a minute while he got something, then turned to run into the room with the red head and shutting the door. Bella used the time he was away to rein her temper back in.

She had never gone off on someone like that before and a part of her felt guilty about it. Of course a much larger part of her felt really, really good about it. She had wanted to do that for a long time.

Jake returned shortly, his birth certificate in his hands. "B-positive," he told her softly, handing her the paper so she could verify for herself. Bella's eyes closed when she saw he was right, the bottom dropping out of her anger.

There it was in black and white.

B-positive.

That couldn't be right. It couldn't be. If it was, then….

_Shit. This wasn't happening. Something wasn't right_, Bella attempted to soothe herself as the paper fell out of her hands.

Turning without a word, she marched down the steps and jumped back in her car before taking off, leaving a trail of flying dust in her wake.

As she madly drove down the streets of Forks, Bella fought off the stinging pricks in her eyes. _She wasn't going to cry, she wasn't going to cry_.

When she pulled into Emmett and Rosalie's driveway, she leapt so quickly from her car that she almost left it running. Her feet pounded up the steps and she flung the door open, crying for Noah at the top of her lungs.

She followed the sounds of laugher being cut off to the family room, tears pouring down her face as she grabbed her son and pulled him into a fierce hug. Bella scooped Noah into her arms and fell to the ground, clutching her baby in her lap.

She knew Rose and Emmett were asking her questions, could hear the fear in their voices but couldn't decipher the words they were saying. Noah struggled for a few moments against her tight embrace before relaxing into her body, his tiny hands and voice trying to comfort her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

*(*

Bella rocked Noah gently, her arms still desperate to keep him close as she thought over the afternoon. She had managed to loosen her hold on him after much pleading and insistence from Rose and Emmett, though she didn't let the little boy out of her sight.

She was terrified someone was coming to get him, having figured out he didn't belong with her.

Rose and Emmett's pleas for an explanation were pushed off, Bella only agreeing to talk after Noah had eaten and gone to sleep. Bella also wanted her parents present; she didn't think she could go through the story more than once.

Charlie and Renee Swan arrived in time for dinner, but now were waiting impatiently in the living room while Bella lay with Noah. Knowing she couldn't keep avoiding the conversation any longer, Bella pressed a kiss to his forehead before slowly climbing off the bed and leaving the guest room, the door cracked open in case Noah needed her.

Bella paused outside the living room where her family waited, closing her eyes and gathering her strength. She sent a silent prayer up and stepped into the room.

"Bella, what is going on?" Renee asked, with a concerned expression. "Emmett called and said we needed to get over here as soon as we could, that something had happened?"

"Let the girl have a seat, Renee. She needs to sit, that much is obvious even to me," Charlie told his wife, standing and guiding Bella to the small plaid couch. "Now, do you think you can tell us what's going on?"

Bella folded her hands in her lap, trying to stop the trembling that had already begun. She opened and closed her mouth several times, no sound coming out. She frantically searched for a place to start but her thoughts were in such chaos, she couldn't find one.

Charlie looked up from his clearly-distraught daughter and gave a quizzical look to Emmett and Rose, wondering if they knew what had happened. Both shook their hands negatively, still feeling as confused and dazed from Bella's hysterical state when she arrived.

"Bells, sweetheart, why don't you just start with the easiest thing first and go from there," Rosalie softly encouraged, moving to take one of Bella's hands as she sat near her.

Swallowing the dry itch in her throat, Bella closed her eyes and dropped her chin. She started speaking, her voice low, but the family could hear her well enough.

"You remember a few weeks ago how Mom was freaked out about Noah having cancer, but Dr. Kastelic said it was most likely nothing?" They all nodded, though Renee held her breath, fearing she had been right after all. "So, he had some tests sent out, just to be sure. He got the results back and I went in this morning to see him…"

The tension was thick in the room, each person anxious that they were about to hear the worst possible news. Bella looked up and gazed at her mother with sad, resigned eyes, knowing what she was about to tell them, though not what they thought, was still life-altering. She shook her head slightly, a wry smile on her face. "It isn't cancer, Noah's not sick. But, Dr. Kastelic did notice something else," Bella continued.

She pulled her hands from Rose's and began to wring them in her lap as she finished speaking. "He asked me why I hadn't included all of Noah's parents' information in his medical history and I told him I had. He didn't understand because apparently Noah's blood type is O-negative, a very rare blood type. Since neither Jake or I are listed as having type O blood, he assumed Noah was adopted."

"That's ridiculous! You gave birth to Noah in that damned hospital," Emmett burst out, unable to believe what he was hearing. "That doctor doesn't know what he's talking about! He isn't from here, he must have gotten it wrong!"

The others rumbled their agreement and Bella nodded with them, acknowledging she agreed. "I know, I said so too, but he said he had the tests run three times - there wasn't a mistake. I told him I'd make sure Jake's blood type was listed correctly, that had to be the problem, right? So, I went out to La Push and… and… Jake…" Bella broke down, tears sliding down her face in a silent stream until she could no longer keep the sobs back.

"H-hh-he showed-d-d me his… his birth certificate," Bella stammered, her head in her hands as she rocked herself back and forth. "He's B-positive."

A shocked gasp left Rosalie, knowing immediately what that meant. Tears formed in her blue eyes, slipping out as she pulled Bella into her embrace, rubbing her back to help soothe her.

"Shit," Emmett muttered, and came to kneel in front of Bella, his large arms wrapping around her as well. He whispered soft words of comfort in her ear, though he felt little himself.

"I don't understand, what does that mean?" Renee asked in confusion. She was a kindergarten teacher so her knowledge of biology was limited, only going as far as what made plants grow. Her college biology courses had been many, many years before and she didn't have a clue how blood types worked anymore.

"It means that Noah can't be her son," Charlie responded, in a distant voice. His work as Police Chief didn't give him extensive knowledge in any particular subject, but he'd dealt with enough cases involving blood and DNA to know the basics.

"What?! That's… that's impossible! I don't understand," Renee cried, in shock, her hand covering her mouth as she watched her daughter cry earnestly in her friend's arms. Charlie spoke in hushed tones, quietly explaining as best he could how the science worked.

The small family was utterly devastated by the news, unsure of what to do with this revelation. Each was playing memories of Noah in their minds, from the day he had been brought home to his first birthday party; cutting his first tooth and taking his first steps all the way to his last fishing trip with Grandpa Charlie.

"Do you know… what do…" Renee finally spoke, tripping on what she wanted to say. She was completely unprepared for handling something like this. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Bella answered, hiccupping slightly as she attempted to regain control of her breathing. "What am I supposed to do?"

No one had an answer for her, each still reeling from the news. Again, it was Renee who brought up the next uncomfortable, but necessary, question.

"Does the hospital know how it happened?" she timidly asked, as three pairs of eyes darted to her, sharp like knives. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be insensitive. I'm just trying to understand," Renee explained morosely.

Charlie wrapped an arm around his wife and held her close. "We all are."

Bella was able to compose herself to a degree and tried her best to answer. "I don't know. I haven't called Dr. Kastelic to tell him yet. I came straight here, I needed to be with Noah."

"Maybe we should talk to the authorities at the hospital before we get ourselves any more worked up," Charlie said, ever the voice of reason and authority. "There has to be a logical explanation for this misunderstanding."

*(*

Bella sat in the window seat of her living room, the phone lying beside her. She stared out at the fading day as twilight began to cast its colors across the sky. September was closing in on them, the first nip of colder days beginning to emerge. But Bella's mind was too busy tossing and turning over her next action to enjoy the scenery outside her small home.

After much discussion and encouragement from her family, Bella had finally gotten the courage to call the hospital and speak with Dr. Kastelic. Their conversation was brief because he had no knowledge of Noah's actual birth since he hadn't been there. He suggested Bella contact someone who had, which lead her to Dr. Gerandy.

Steeling her nerves, Bella picked up the phone and punched in the numbers, exhaling a shaky breath before the older gentleman answered and they greeted one another.

"So, Bella," his kind, crinkled voice spoke. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Dr. Gerandy, I'm sorry to be calling out of the blue," Bella said. "I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Not at all, dear girl. It's always nice to hear from one of my old patients. And please call me Timothy."

"It's nice to speak with you too, Timothy" she smiled at his friendliness. "I—I just had a question for you," Bella meekly said, her eyes shut against the pain of having to bring this topic up.

"Well, I'll be happy to help if I can. What's your question?" Timothy's voice was light and airy, Bella noted. She hated to change all of that but she didn't have much choice, he was the only one who might be able to help her understand the current dilemma.

"Dr. Gerandy," she began, before correcting herself. "Timothy, I... um, do you remember anything unusual with Noah's birth?" Bella finally forced out in one long breath, cringing at the indelicate way she'd spoken. She had meant to ease into it, but the words seemed to have flown out before she could stop them.

"Well, I don't know. Hmm… that was, what, three years ago?" he thought out loud. Bella chewed on her thumbnail as she waited for him to go on. "No, nothing comes to mind. You had a relatively easy birth as I recall. Why, has something happened?"

Bella detected the concern in his voice but knew she wasn't going to be able to rectify it. "Well, um, actually there is." She paused, inhaling deeply to keep the prickling tears in her eyes from spilling out once again. "It turns out Noah's blood type doesn't match mine or Jake's," she whispered, praying the man wouldn't jump to the conclusion anyone else who didn't know her would.

"Oh dear," Timothy mumbled, confused by what he was hearing. "How is that possible?"

Bella sighed in relief when Timothy didn't consider her being unfaithful as a possibility. "I don't know. That's why I was hoping you could help me. Do you remember anything out of the ordinary about that night?" Silence fell between them, but Bella could hear him muttering to himself on his end, indicating he was thinking.

"I seem to remember a huge thunderstorm that night, knocked the power out for a few minutes, which was quite unusual. But I'm not sure how…"

Bella picked up on his unspoken words. "No, I don't see how that would affect this situation either. Was there anything else?"

Another lengthy pause followed until Timothy inhaled sharply. "There was another woman, a young married couple actually, who had a boy that night. They weren't from the area but passing through when she went into labor," he told her solemnly.

"You don't think…." Bella trailed off, unable to believe the insane idea that popped into her head.

It was ridiculous. Things like that happened in movies, not real life.

Timothy's apologetic tone told her otherwise. "Bella, if what you've said about his blood type is correct, then there seems to only be one conclusion I can make, although it is rare."

Bella felt defeated, hollow, and distraught. She could see the pieces of the puzzle slipping into place with his admission. Her heart cracked when he finally spoke the words.

"I'm afraid your son may have been switched at birth."

* * *

**A/N: This update is brought to you by the 'Magic Thread' and my lovely beta, mauigirl60. **

**Thank you to every single person who is reading, pimping and reviewing this story. I'm so grateful for all the love you send my way. **


	6. Closed Doors

**Chapter 5- Closed Doors**

***(***

The Seattle rain drizzled softly against the windows one lazy afternoon, as Edward sat with Ollie, tinkering away at the piano while they waited for Tanya to make her appearance. She was supposed to have picked Ollie up over an hour ago for a visit that she'd requested, but was late as usual. Edward was doing his best to keep Ollie entertained and unaware of his mother's delay.

"Okay Ollie, it goes like this," Edward demonstrated, his elegant pale fingers dancing across the keys. "_Twinkle, twinkle, little star_…"

"_How I wonder what you are_," Ollie joined in singing, keeping his own fingers from the piano, although his dark eyes followed every movement his father's made. He loved to watch his father play, the way his fingers blurred as they danced over the keys. Most of all, he loved how happy the piano made his father.

Together, they finished singing, while Edward's deft hands played the melody. "_Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky; Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are."_

Once they finished singing, Ollie rested his head against Edward's arm, silently encouraging his father to keep playing. Edward continued running up and down the major chords, no longer playing any song in particular, just enjoying the feel of the smooth ivories.

"I liked that song, Daddy," Ollie said, his voice soft and content from Edward's side.

"Thanks, little man. You think you'll be able to play it soon?" Edward questioned, with a smile. Ollie shook his head 'no' forcefully, leaving Edward laughing at his certain denial.

"Why not? You don't like playing?"

"No, I like it better when _you_ do and I gets to listen," Ollie explained.

"That seems fair," Edward agreed. "Since I like to play so that you can listen. Did you know I wrote a song for you when you were still in Mommy's tummy?"

Ollie nodded vigorously, "Yeah, you told me. You loved me before you even knewed me, so you wrote it in a song so I'd never forgets."

"That's right, baby." Edward pressed a kiss to Ollie's head.

"I'm not a baby, I'm a big kid," Ollie refuted, his lower lip jutting out petulantly.

Edward chuckled at the defiant look on his face. "Oh, is that so? Who said you were a big boy?"

"Nana Mae."

"Well if Nana Mae said it, it must be true." Edward silently added to himself that Ollie would always be his baby, no matter how old or far away he was.

Ollie hopped from the bench and crawled under the piano where he had a coloring book spread out on the floor, crayons littering the surrounding area. Edward dropped his hands from the keyboard and slipped from the bench as well, crouching down to make sure Ollie was occupied before walking out of the room and going to the phone at the other end of the hall.

He was only halfway through dialing Tanya's cell number when a knock could be heard, followed quickly by Tanya's loud voice.

"Hellooo! I'm here," she called, as she walked down the foyer hall and stepped to where Edward was standing outside the family room.

"Edward, you look good," Tanya crooned as she walked over to him, stepping much closer than he was comfortable with, and running her hand down his black collared shirt.

"Tanya," Edward clipped out, stepping out of her reach. "You're late," he coolly stated.

Tanya huffed, annoyed she was already being chastised. "Ugh, Edward. I'm not _that_ late. Micah was going as fast as he could but getting this much hair trimmed and colored takes time," she explained.

Edward rolled his eyes. Typical_, she would put her own needs above spending time with her son_, he thought ruefully.

"Mommy!" Ollie shouted as he scampered into the hall. He ran headfirst into Tanya before crushing himself around her legs in a welcoming hug.

"Oliver, stop. Let go, you'll wrinkle my clothes," Tanya admonished, pushing Ollie a few inches away from her tight, knee-length skirt. Ollie dropped his arms and stepped back, his face solemn.

"Oh, don't pout, Mommy doesn't want to get messy," Tanya told him, though her words failed to buoy his spirit.

"He's just excited to see you, Tan," Edward reproached her, hating the hurt look on his son's face. Tanya turned her blue gaze to Edward, but he saw no remorse in her eyes.

"I'm going to a gallery opening tonight with Irina and since I'm spending the afternoon with Oliver, I won't have time to change." Her tone made it clear she would rather have skipped the afternoon, which Edward found aggravating, considering she had been the one to request time with Ollie.

Sighing heavily, Edward shifted the discussion. "Where are you guys going, anyway?"

Tanya shrugged, her apathy to the whole situation clear. Edward shouldn't have been surprised by Tanya's inconsiderate behavior but, at this point, it was par for the course where she was concerned. He didn't think Tanya would have time to take Ollie anywhere before Edward wanted him back for dinner anyway, so it was just as well. He rubbed a hand over his face before looking down at the little boy wrapped around his legs, his face tucked behind Edward's knee.

"What if you guys stayed here?" Edward offered. "We could go watch a movie or something. You could eat with us if you have time," Edward said resignedly.

"What do you think, Oliver? Should we stay here with Daddy and watch a movie?" Tanya cooed, holding her hand out for him to take.

Ollie turned his face up to gauge Edward's expression. Edward smiled at him warmly, reassuring him that he was okay with it. Seeing his father's smile, Ollie nodded, his own smiling slipping back into place.

"O'tay," he said, his excitement building at the thought of sharing a night with both of his parents. He jumped away from Edward and raced back into the family room, calling behind him, "I'll be back. I gots to show you my art, Mommy."

"So shall we pick out a movie?" Tanya asked Edward, a scheming look in her eye that made his stomach roll.

"Why don't you get Ollie and I'll go find a movie," Edward averted, moving quickly away from Tanya. "Since you don't have much time, I'd hate to come between you two, when you specifically wanted to see him."

The pointed look he gave Tanya hit its mark and she nodded her assent.

*(*

Edward, Ollie, and Tanya sat on the large couch as the movie played. Ollie was squished happily between his parents, his head bobbing onto Edward's chest as he fought off sleep. He had missed his afternoon nap in his excitement to see his mother, and was now fighting to stay awake.

"Should we just put him in his room to sleep?" Tanya softly said, stroking Ollie's soft brown hair for a moment. Edward didn't like the idea, Ollie was serving as a very good bumper between him and his soon-tobe ex-wife.

"He won't like waking up without having said goodbye to you," Edward fibbed, knowing it was more for his benefit to keep him there than Ollie's.

"I'll wait till he wakes up then," Tanya smugly replied, liking the idea more and more. "Then he won't be upset."

"What if he doesn't wake up for awhile? Won't you be late for your night out with Irina?" Edward tried to dissuade her.

"She can wait," Tanya remarked offhandedly. She knew if Ollie was asleep, she would be able to work on Edward more efficiently.

Reluctantly, Edward decided to move Ollie to his room so he could rest more comfortably, though he didn't like the idea of Tanya waiting. But he knew Ollie would like to say goodbye to her, and Edward would make sure he didn't sleep too long. They did need to eat dinner still, so he'd have that excuse. Nodding, he scooped Ollie up and carried him to his room, tucking him in before heading back downstairs to find where Tanya had gotten off to.

She wasn't in the media room where he'd left her, nor was she in the family room or the formal living room. A quick inspection of the kitchen before he headed upstairs to check the study proved futile as well. He figured she may have been in one of the restrooms or more likely slipped out for the evening. It wouldn't have been the first time Tanya said one thing only to do another.

Giving up a search he really didn't care to make in the first place, Edward went back downstairs to the lavish, chef-worthy kitchen to figure out what he and Ollie would eat later. He rummaged through a few cabinets and was halfway inside the refrigerator when the phone rang. Assuming it was Tanya calling with a weak excuse for her hasty departure, Edward let the machine pick up, returning to making sure he had all the ingredients he needed for his dinner plans. He would consider calling Tanya back later, if he felt like it. He smirked, since that would be unlikely.

The click of the machine picking up the call and the sweet, yet timid voice that drifted out gave him pause.

"_Hello, I'm looking for Mr. or Mrs. Cullen. My name is Patricia Kellerman and I work for Forks General Hospital. A matter concerning your time at our hospital has recently been brought to light, and it's imperative that I speak to you as soon as possible. Please call me at_…"

Edward was confused as he listened to the woman give a call-back number before hanging up. Forks General? He couldn't fathom why they would be calling him. The only time he spent there was when Ollie had been born, but that was over three years ago.

What on earth would prompt them to call him now?

*(*

Edward made his way upstairs to change his clothes, no longer comfortable in the slacks and button-up he'd been wearing since the morning church services. The message on the machine replayed in his head as he walked up the stairs.

It was in his room that Edward finally found Tanya - spread out and naked as the day is long - across his bed in an enticing pose. Any lingering thoughts of the phone call were erased in that instant.

"Jesus Christ!" Edward shouted, flinging his hands up to shield his eyes from the visual. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for my husband to join me in bed," Tanya said, sex oozing from her voice.

"Why the hell do you think I'd be willing to do that? We're divorced Tanya, I don't want any part of you!"

"That's not true, we're still married in our hearts, Edward. There's nothing wrong with us enjoying each other. We get our divorced reversed in no time.."

"You have to quit this shit, Tanya. We aren't any good together," Edward explained through a clenched jaw, still averting his eyes.

"Oh, Eddie, baby, you know how good we were together," Tanya purred from her position on the bed. "Nobody fucks like we do. We can still have that, it will be so gooood," she moaned seductively.

Edward dropped his hand and leveled Tanya with a steely gaze, doing his best to keep his eyes from drifting to her naked breasts. He hated that his dick was responding even the slightest bit to her, but he was a man, and a naked woman ready to go was always going to have some effect on him. Besides the fact he hadn't had sex in almost a year…

But, no, he was stronger than his libido; fucking Tanya, no matter how good they had been in that area of their relationship, would only cause more problems than solve them.

"Tanya, you and I are not sleeping together, ever again. Get up, get dressed, and get the hell out of my house!" Edward demanded.

Tanya blanched at his furious tone but quickly regained her composure, ready to try another tactic that rarely failed. "I'm doing this for Oliver," she said. "I'm his mother, I'm doing what's best for him by trying to keep this family together."

Edward laughed darkly. "You are not seriously talking about what's best for our son while you lie there naked, are you?"

"Edward, he—"

"NO! Just get the fuck out!" Edward yelled, his fists clenched at his sides. His green eyes were ablaze with his hard-held temper, not sure how much longer he could hold back from really going off on her. The only thing keeping him in check was the fact that Ollie could wake up at any moment and hear them.

Seeing that Tanya was not making a move to leave, Edward reached down, grabbed her clothes from the floor and threw them in her face, as he stormed past her to his closet. He ripped jeans and a t-shirt from his dresser and took them into his adjoining bathroom.

"You'd better be gone before I get out," he threatened over his shoulder, before locking the door behind him.

He couldn't believe her audacity. Stripping naked and waiting for him in his bed! How long had she been there like that? How long would she have been willing to wait?

It was sickening. Edward was utterly disgusted with the lengths she was willing to go to win him back.

"To bad for her that is _never_ fucking happening," he grumbled to himself as he changed, angrily yanking off his gray slacks and white button-up only to yank his jeans and shirt on forcefully.

He gripped the edge of the bathroom counter, doing his best to control his heavy breathing and boiling temper. He didn't want to wake his son up with these loose emotions coursing through him. Splashing some cool water on his face, he ran a hand through his hair as he thought about Ollie.

Ollie was what mattered. Providing the best home for him, with the most loving people in his life, was the only thing Edward cared about.

He wished his mother could be a part of that, he truly did. But she had proven, yet again, why it was best she had no part in Ollie's life. She didn't care about him, not in the slightest.

*(*

"Are you kidding me?" Alice screeched, her hazel-gold eyes wide in shock. "She did not!?"

Edward nodded his head in tired resignation. He picked up his chicken gyro, dipping a corner into the extra tzatziki sauce before biting off a piece. He chewed while he thought over his encounter with his ex-wife again.

"God, Edward. That's just awful," Alice shook her head, perplexed that anyone could be so crude. And stupid. As if throwing herself at Edward would change the fact he didn't love her, didn't want her in his life anymore. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

"Not nearly as much as I am," Edward chuckled sarcastically. "But I won't be making that mistake again. If she wants to spend time with Ollie, fine. I'm not going to keep him from her but we won't be spending time as a 'family' at the house anymore."

Alice nodded in agreement, though she felt badly that Edward had to go to such lengths to protect himself. He gave up so much of his own happiness to make sure everyone else got what they needed. She worried he would end up alone and bitter about life, if he didn't look out for himself every once in a while.

"Did Ollie say anything when he got up and she was gone?" Alice asked, dipping a pita chip into the hummus dish before eating it. "This hummus is the best, I swear I could live in it," she mumbled happily.

Edward laughed at his sister, she was such a food whore. He loved that she never shied away from eating like so many women did. Her appetite was usually large and in charge, often giving grown men a run for the money when they attempted to take on the petite woman.

"No, Ollie didn't say much. He was quiet for a while after I told him she had to leave, but once we started making the pizzas, he perked back up. He's pretty great that way," Edward smiled softly as he thought about his son.

Alice nodded and speared a forkful of salad, popping it into her mouth. "So, have you been seeing anyone lately?" she asked as she ate.

"Manners, much?" Edward teased, causing Alice to open her mouth and chew widely just for spite. Edward grinned at her, she was such a child sometimes. He loved her carefree nature.

"You're such a catch, Alice. I'm surprised no one has snatched you up yet," Edward joked.

"All in good time, brother dear. All in good time," Alice assured. "There might even be one lucky fellow right now, in fact."

Edward raised an eyebrow in question. "Oh, really? And who _is_ this lucky fellow? Do I need to meet him? Give him the big brother stamp of approval?"

"Uh, no. It's not that serious yet, we're still figuring everything out," Alice explained, snatching a cooling potato slice from Edward's plate. He pushed it closer to her, making it easier for her to finish off his lunch. "Thanks."

"No problem. Do I least get to know his name?" Edward wondered.

Alice pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him, thinking over his request. "Promise you won't try and scare him off?"

Edward held up a hand. "I promise."

"Jasper Hale."

Jasper Hale… Jasper Hale. The name sounded vaguely familiar but Edward couldn't place it. "Do I know him?"

Alice ducked her head shyly and looked at the table for a moment. She nervously traced the water ring left by her glass as she spoke. "He just moved to Seattle from Dallas. He works in Federal Retirement benefits."

Now he remembered. "Oh, Alice, really? The new guy?" Edward chided playfully. Truthfully, he didn't care if Alice was seeing another employee at Pacific Northwest or not. As long as they both continued to do their jobs and he didn't have to walk into any untoward situations, he would be good with it.

Alice's shy demeanor told Edward she was serious about this guy, however, so he held off on teasing her, simply letting her know if she was happy, he would be too.

Relaxing back into her more effervescent personality, Alice turned the conversation back to its original direction. "Don't think you can slip past me that easily, brother dear. How about you, are you seeing anyone?"

He swallowed a sip of his tea before answering. "No, I'm not seeing anyone."

He tried to avoid eye contact with Alice, looking over at the other tables and patrons in the little Greek restaurant. Alice waited him out, however, and when his green eyes landed on her, she laid it all out for him.

"Edward, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life," she started and gave him an exasperated look when his expression clearly showed he believed otherwise. "I'm not! I'm just going to give you some advice." She reached out and took his hand into hers.

"Don't put your life on hold just because you're a father. I know you love Ollie and want what's best for him, but that includes a dad who is happy with his own life. What are you going to do in fifteen years when he goes off to college? If you only surround yourself with him, how will you survive? And how will he have any idea what love really looks like if he never sees you find it?"

Alice raised her hand to stop Edward from interrupting, as she could tell he wanted. "I'm not saying to start dating every woman that walks by, but maybe some of them? And it doesn't have to be right now, I know just signed the papers to divorce that…_woman,_ but at least start thinking about it, okay?"

*(*

Alice's words continued to play in Edward's mind as he went back to his office. He hated to admit it, but she was right. If he didn't have his own life, he would be alone and miserable when Ollie went off to start his own. That was a bleak and ugly future he didn't want for himself.

Truthfully, he would love to find the right woman for him. He'd always admired his parents' loving relationship, how steady and passionate it was, even thirty-three years later. He wanted that for himself, wanted to find someone who would love him like no one else would. Someone who would love Ollie the same way, too - because no matter what, they were a package deal.

Edward sat down in his dark brown leather chair, looking at the stack of papers before him. He was not in the right mind-set at the moment to look over the projected figures and stock holdings. He decided to tend the red blinking message light on his phone first.

"_Mr. Cullen, this is Patricia Kellerman with Forks General Hospital. My apologies for calling you at work but I've tried contacting you or your wife at home_,_ though I haven't been able to speak with either of you._" Edward cringed at hearing someone refer to Tanya as his wife. She was so far removed from that title in his life and had been for some time, but it appeared the rest of the world hadn't gotten the memo yet. _"I can't stress enough how important it is that you return my call, sir. The matter I need to discuss with you is urgent, so please call me as soon as you can. Thank you._" The message ended with another number to call.

Edward was troubled by the call once again. He had forgotten about it when he'd had to deal with Tanya but hearing it once more, along with the almost pleading edge to this woman's voice, brought the matter back to the forefront of his mind.

As he picked up the phone to call her back before he could be distracted once more, his subconscious gave a shudder of fear. Something in his gut told him that making this call held the potential to change everything, even if he didn't understand how or what yet.

* * *

**a/n: Hi friends! It's Thanksgiving here in the States, so this is me wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday.**

**I'm still working on the next chapter for not only this story, but also AtPM (no idea when it will post, however). Thank you for your continued support with both stories, and I promise not to give up on either of them.**

**Thanks as always to my rock-star beta, maiugirl60 for all her hard work and perceptive thoughts and ideas. You make this look good, bb! (Of course, I do tinker with things after she sends it back, so any remaining mistakes are all on me.)**

**I don't normally do this, but since I have no idea when my next update will be, I'm going to rec something—in this case, an author. If you haven't read any of The Fic Chick's stories yet, go do that immediately. She writes lovely, long, in depth and leave-you-desperately-needing-more o/s that cannot be missed. I swear it!**

**Later loves, be good to each other!**


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